Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Celebration of Texas Statehood and Contributions of President Anson Jones


Tom Green with the San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas has provided the following press release:  

On Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., the San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) will sponsor a ceremony at the grave of President Anson Jones to commemorate the 168th anniversary of Texas Statehood.  The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
Kameron Searle, of the Sons of The Republic of Texas will be speaking about the impact that Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas had in getting Texas annexed into the United States of America.  Members of the Texas Army will fire a musket salute, and we will conclude the ceremony by leading everyone in a toast to Anson Jones and all those brave men worked to get Texas admitted into the USA.  The toast will be with good old Texas water.
A free and independent Republic of Texas was officially declared March 2, 1836, when the 56 delegates present at Washington-on-the-Brazos unanimously voted to declaration independence.   Most citizens believed that Texas would be admitted into the USA in 1836, but due to the political ramifications of a new slave state, there was much disagreement about annexing Texas into the USA.  In 1842, efforts were begun to obtain recognition of the Republic of Texas by foreign governments.  Efforts were made to convince the USA that Texas was going to join up with England and create a large country from Canada to the Rio Grande.  President Anson Jones conducted the affairs of the Republic of Texas in such a way as to convince James K. Polk, the new President of the USA in 1845, that Texas no longer wished to be part of the USA, and intended to enlarge the size of the Republic of Texas by joining with the Oregon Territory, then controlled by England. 
On December 29, 1845, President James K. Polk signed a letter to President Anson Jones telling him that both the U.S House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate had voted on a joint resolution to annex Texas into the USA.  This letter was received by President Anson Jones in January of 1846 and he called both the Republic of Texas elected officials and the newly elected State of Texas officials together in Austin on February 16, 1846 to canvas the vote and arrange for a change of power in Texas.  Then at high noon, on February 19, 1846, President Anson Jones gave a speech ending the Republic of Texas with the statement that the Republic of Texas is no more. It was on that day that Texas became the 28th state in the USA.
The Sons of the Republic of Texas is a 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions is to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the people who achieved and maintained the independence of Texas and to encourage historical research into the earliest records of Texas, especially those relating to the revolutionary and republic periods.  The SRT encourages the preservation of documents and relics, the publication of historical records and narratives, and the celebration of important days in the state’s history. They also encourage the teaching of Texas history in schools and sponsor numerous scholarships.  The public is invited to join us at 10:00 a.m. at the grave of President Anson Jones in Glenwood Cemetery on Washington Street in Houston, to honor President Anson Jones, and all those brave men who took the important step toward making Texas what it is today!  For additional details about the celebration, please contact Event Chairman, Tom Green, KSJ at 713-340-1965.
Contact:                   Sons of The Republic of Texas
Contact Person:        Tom Green, KSJ
Email Address:           TBGreen3@gmail.com
SRT Web Site Address:          http://www.srttexas.org

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